EVN (Sept 23) The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called upon Ethiopian authorities to take action against security personnel responsible for the assault of at least three journalists and to cease the harassment and detention of media professionals.
According to CPJ, on September 7, security officers in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray Region, attacked and apprehended three journalists who were covering an opposition protest. The journalists include Teshager Tsigab, a reporter with the online news outlet Yabele Media, and Mehari Kahsay and Mehari Selemon, co-founders and reporters with Ayam Media.
Mehari Kahsay and Mehari Selemon, after being arrested, were released on bail on September 9. They were accused of participating in an illegal protest but were not formally charged in court. On the other hand, authorities did not level any specific allegations against Teshager, who was released on bail on September 11.
CPJ’s sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo, expressed concern about the incident, stating, “The beating and detention of these three journalists sends a chilling message that authorities in Tigray are unwilling to make room for reporters to cover critical subjects. The Tigray interim regional administration must investigate this incident, hold the officers responsible to account, and guarantee that the press can report on opposition protests and dissenting voices without retaliation.”
The Tigray interim administration was appointed in March as part of a peace deal in November 2022 that ended a two-year conflict between the federal government and rebels led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front party.
The incident unfolded when three opposition parties planned a demonstration in Mekelle’s Romanat Square. Authorities declared the demonstration unauthorized, leading to the dispersal of the crowd by the police, who arrested over 20 people.
The assaulted journalists reported that while separately filming the protesters, they were confronted by groups of men in police uniform. These individuals ordered them to stop and then physically assaulted them with sticks and electric cables.
Teshager described how he sought refuge in a nearby café, but the officers located him there. They beat him until he briefly lost consciousness and then transported him to Mekelle’s Semien Sub-City police station. Teshager sustained injuries to his head, back, and legs, with blurred vision and vomiting as immediate consequences of the beating.
Mehari Selemon and Mehari Kahsay initially managed to escape but were later confronted by men in police uniforms while having breakfast in another café. They were subjected to further beatings and forced to walk barefoot to a patrol vehicle stationed approximately 10 minutes away in Romanat Square. Subsequently, they were detained at the Semien Sub-City police station.
Mehari Selemon reported suffering from a nosebleed, headache, and body aches, while Mehari Kahsay showed CPJ images displaying deep bruises and swelling on his legs, shoulders, and back, as well as head swelling, all attributed to the beatings.
Teshager received medical attention on September 7 and 8, including painkillers and an x-ray examination, although he did not see the results. The medical findings were shared with the police, who claimed he was in good health. Mehari Selemon and Mehari Kahsay were also given painkillers when taken to a hospital on September 8.
CPJ highlighted that security personnel, both in military and civilian attire, harassed reporters working for Voice of America, funded by the U.S. Congress, and German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, alongside local media. However, the outlets did not name the affected journalists. Additionally, private security guards were implicated in the attacks, further escalating the situation.
Ethiopia witnessed a surge in press freedom violations during the 2020-2022 civil war, with numerous journalists being arrested and detained for extended periods without formal charges.
CPJ made inquiries to the communication office of the Tigray interim administration via email and Facebook, as well as to the head of the interim administration, Getachew Reda, through X, formerly known as Twitter, but received no responses.
